Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-29
THE CAMPAIGN OF .sS.
THE EXISTING RULES FOR THE ELECTION OF THE DELE.
GATES 10 THE CONVENTION NEXT YEAR
Mcpherson in the Philadelphia Press.

Edward Nc cPherson In the Philadelphia Press
i am asked for a statement OF existing rules
governing the choice OF delegates 10 the Repulp-
lican national convention OF 1883, the time when
they should be chosen, and how The convention
OF 1850 left these details TO the national COM
mittee, prescribing only that the rules adopted
"should include and secure TO the several Con-
greSsional districts the right 10 elect their own
delegates" II, however directed that the national
committee then appointed should within a twelve
month thereafter adopt method for the election
OF such delegates announce IL To the country. and
in proper time issue the call FOR the convention Ia
conformity Herewith. ON the l2th OF December,
1883 the call appeared fixing June 3, 1884, as ths
directed:
L. That the delegates-at-large shall be chosen
by popular delegate State conventions, called ON
not less than twenty days published notice, and
held not more than sixty days before the time
liked for the meeting of the national convention.
>. That the republicans of the various Congress
sonal districts shall have the option or electing
their delegates at separate popular delegate con-
ventions, called on similar notice and held In the
districts at any time within the fifteen days next
prior 10 the meeting OF the state conventions,
10y subdivisions OF the State conventions into dis
trfct conventions, and such delegates shall be
chosen in the latter method II not elected previous
TO the meeting OF the state conventions. All dis
such district conventions. Two delegates shall be
allowed IRON each Territory and from the District
OF Columbia similarly chosen.
Under this call the convention or 1884 was
created. In that convention the committee ON
rules reported exactly the same clause for the call
ing OF the convention OF 1888 as had been adopted
by the convention of 1850. This proposed TO give
the national committee exactly the same power
II had previously had, conferred by The same
words and limited by the like phrase. While this
report was pending IN the convention MIR. Grow
made motion TO strike out this rule (No. 1o ana
insert a substitute, which, after a brief and in-
complete explanation VI Its effect, was unani-
mously agreed 10.
This rule took from the national committee the
discretion heretofore given II, and directed that
the national committee shall include in their
call for the convention OF 1sSs these proyisions:
First. That the call for the meeting OF the
tional convention shall be issued 10y said commit
tee six months at least before the time for the
meeting of the convention. Second. That dele.
gates at large for each State and their aternates
Shall be elected 10y state conventions In their re-
spectiye States. Third That each Congressional
district shall elect its delegates and alternates 10
the national convention '.in the same way the
nomination or a member OF Congress is made in
said district. Fourth That In the territories the
delegates 70 the convention shall be elected In the
same way as the nomination oI Delegates ln Con.
gress Is made. Flltl; Ihat the national
ing the delegates for the District OF Colum-
bia. The text OF the rules is this, as offt-
ss Sas Rlhea naaienal IN commttee sha issue p the
call for the meeting OF the national con-
yention six months at least before the time fixed
for said meeting: and each Congressional district
In the United states shall elect It's delegates 10
the national convention in the same way as the
nomination OF a member OF Congress Is made in
said district: and In the Territories the delegates
10 the convention shall be elected In the same
is made; and said national committee shall pre-
scribe the mode for electing delegates Tor the
District OF Columbia An alternate delegate for
each delegate TO the national convention, TO acu
I'm case OF the absence OF the delegate, shall be
elected In the same manner and at the same time
as the delegate is elected. Ana the delegates
at-large for each State and their alternaues shall
be elected by State conventions In their respec-
tive States"
Ii Will be observed that the rule Is strictly silent
as to the times at which State district conveD-
lions for the election OF delegates may be held,
except so far as the district conventions may be
controlled by the provision that those delegates
must be chosen 'sn the same way" as representa-
tive In Congress are nominated.
The new rule Is more precise than the preceding
as 10 the representative delegates In this respect,
that there Is now no option as to the method.
Formerly representative delegates might be chosen
sat separate popular delegate conventions called
on prescribed notice and held prior TO the meeting
OF State conventions. III not SO chosen, they were
required TO be chosen at the State conventions by
Subdivisions OF the State conventions into district
conventions" This option has ceased. Represen-
tative delegates must now he chosen In the "same
way as Representatives In Congress are nom-
mated and without definite limit as TO time, but
suppose the time for the discharge OF this trust
should bear like relation TO the convention that
a representatives nomination In each district
bears to the election.